BANGUED, Abra (PIA) - - The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has endorsed four qualifiers to the Balik Probinsya Bagong Pagasa Program (BP2) for the province of Abra.

National Housing Authority (NHA) Acting Regional Manager for Regions 1 and the Cordillera Administrative Region Engineer Maria Belinda Sevalla said the qualifiers are based on the DSWD assessment and validation. They will be further evaluated by the receiving local government units to determine if they are eligible under their criteria.

There are four identified principal qualifiers and their family members with two from Bangued, one from Lagangilang and one from Danglas

Sevalla said NHA already wrote the concerned local government units informing them of this.  The LGU needs to confirm should it accepts the families who intend to return to the province.

“Hinihintay natin ‘yung pagtanggap.  The LGU will signify kung tatanggapin nila ‘yung mga families na gustong bumalik sa kanilang lugar,” Sevalla said.

There are many applicants the DSWD is validating and for those who pass the validation, they are being sent to every municipality where they want to go home to, she added.

In the Cordillera Region, there are currently 548 individuals and their families who applied under the BP2 program.

Unfortunately, the initial  10   principal applicants together with  their  family members (1- for La Trinidad, Benguet and nine  for Baguio City) endorsed by the DSWD are  not eligible based on the evaluation of the local  Social Welfare and Development Office,

The BP2 aims to address decongest Metro Manila by encouraging people, especially informal settlers.  to return to their home provinces "for good." Government shall assist the BP2 beneficiaries in their transportation, housing, livelihood, among others to ensure improvement of quality of life in the province. (JDP/SCA-PIA CAR, Abra)